Farmers’ suicide shot up in 2015 even after loan waivers: Agri Minister

New Delhi, Jul 9 : Farmers' suicide have increased in 2015 even after implementation of loan waiver schemes, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

Responding to supplementaries during Question Hour, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the number of farmers' suicides have increased in the country despite several loan waiver schemes.After audit it was found that debts were waived off people who were not farmers, he said.

For the last four years, data is being collected from states and National Crime Records Bureau, Mr Tomar said to a supplementary raised by his predecessor Agriculture Minister Radhamohan Singh.

With a view to provide income support to all farmers' families across the country, to enable them them to take care of expenses related to agriculture and allied activities as well as domestic needs, the Central government has started a new Central Sector Scheme Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), under which Rs 6,000 is paid per year in three installments to farmers' families. As many as 14.5 crore farmers are expected to benefit from the scheme.

Giving a major boost for the farmers' income, the government last year approved the increase of Minimum Support Price for all Kharif and Rabi crops for 2018-19 season at a level of at least 150 per cent of the cost production.

The government has approved a new umbrella scheme 'Pradhan Mantri Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) aimed at ensuring remunerative prices to the farmers for their produce.(UNI)